It rates travel and tourism third of the eight as a
major employer, behind the retail sector and agriculture.

The industry employs seven times as many workers
direct as motor manufacturing (14 million), five times as many as chemicals (20
million), four times as many as banking or mining (both 27 million) and almost
twice as many as financial services (59 million).

The WTTC identifies the sector as the second-fastest
growing globally, with annual growth forecast at 3.9% over the next ten years.

It calculates travel and tourism generated $7.6 trillion
of global GDP last year or 9.8%, putting it behind mining, financial services
and retail but ahead of chemicals, agriculture, education, motor manufacturing
and banking.

WTTC president and chief executive David Scowsill
said: “This research demonstrates the huge importance of travel and tourism in
creating jobs around the world.

“It confirms our sector is one of the biggest
contributors to global GDP, and is forecast to outpace the global economy every
year over the next decade.”